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The Whole Family
Including Pets in Your Holiday Travel Plans
By Teri Brown
Have you ever left a beloved pet at home with a sitter while you went on vacation? Or perhaps walked away after leaving Fido or Felix in the sterile atmosphere of a kennel? Leaving a pet at home when your family takes off for the holidays can be a heart-wrenching experience. Taking your pet with you can be a wonderful alternative, providing you plan carefully, keeping your pet's comfort in mind.
Anna McLain from Bellevue, Neb., proud owner of two Dachshunds, has traveled very successfully with her animals, but not without a mishap or two. "The first time we were crammed into the front of a pickup truck," McLain says. "My epileptic Doxie, Max, didn't tell us he needed to stop. We didn't stop soon enough and he wet all over my lap. Poor little guy acted so ashamed!"
Another incident involved one of the dogs being accidentally kicked, which necessitated emergency veterinary care. All in all, though, McLain enjoys traveling with her pets and has learned to take their needs into consideration when on the road.
Chris Sofge from Cincinnati, Ohio, loves to travel with her animals in spite of any inconvenience they might cause. "I've had dogs that loved to hike and camp and be with me, but got carsick," Sofge says. "But we never let it stop us, we just carried extra paper towels and cleaner."
Sofge says that dogs are a great excuse to actually get out and stretch your legs at those rest areas, too. "I've taken many a walk 'for the dog' at rest areas, when the pooch would have probably been just as happy to sleep in the back seat," he says.
